Article delivery cabinet



Feb. 16, 1937. y JLD'. my@ 2,7m@

` ARTICLE DELIVERY CABINET Filed May l, 1935 Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITE AS3-TATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to article delivery cabinets.

An important object of the invention is to provide a cabinet of the above mentioned character, which is extremely simple in construction, strong, durable, easy to operate, and holding the articles so that they are visible.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a c-entral vertical longitudinal section through one cabinet unit,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, the cabinet unit being shifted inwardly or depressed for ejecting the article. i

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the delivery cabinet is shown as comprising a plurality of casings or units 5, which are upstanding or generally vertically arranged, in use. The casings 5 are preferably assembled in close or sliding contacting relation and are pivotally supported at their upper ends, by hinges 6, attached to the backs 1 of the casings. These hinges 6 are secured to a support, such as a wall 8, by means of screws 9, or the like. Each casing 5 embodies spaced sides I0, carrying inwardly bent marginal flanges Il, which are spaced, whereby the outer side of the casing is open throughout the major portion of its area, whereby the articles held therein are readily Visible. Each casing has its lower end closed by a bottom I2, carrying a depending stop flange I3, adjacent to the back 1, as shown. The flanges I I are cut away, at points I4, providing an opening or passage I5 through which the lowermost article I6 is ejected. The articles I6 are stacked in vthe casing 5, and are fed downwardly therein by gravity, as shown.

The numeral I1 designates a horizontal transverse plate which is rigidly attached to the flanges II of the casing 5, and this plate is located at the top of the opening or passage I5. A horizontal plate I8 is arranged above the pressure plate I1 and is rigidly attached to they flanges II, and the plate I8 carries hollow flanges I9 for receiving cards or the like, carrying the name or (Cl. S12-64) picture of the articles I6 held within the casing.

The lower end of the several casings or units 5 operate within a stationary guide housing 20, horizontally arranged and rigidly attached to the support or wall 8. This guide housing includes sides 2|, which slidably engage the outer sides Il) of the outer casings 5, and also includes a front wall 22, arranged in advance of the flange I3 and serving to contact therewith and limit the outward movement of the casing.

Each casing or unit 5 is provided with a longitudinally curved or bowed leaf spring 23 arranged near its lower end and extending longitudinally of theback 1. The upper end of this leaf spring 23 is soldered or otherwise rigidly attached to the back 1, while the lower portion of this bowed leaf spring is arranged to contact with the back wall of the housing 20, as shown. The leaf spring 23 is bent upon itself at 24, forming a rounded contacting portion and is then extended forwardly in the form of a substantially horizontal ejector arm 25, operating through a slot 26, in the back 1, and carrying a downwardly extending ejector 21. This ejector is wider than the slot 26 and is arranged in advance of the back 1 and cannot pass through the Slot 26. The ejector 21 is arranged to engage behind the lowermost article I6, as shown.

The o-peration of the device is as follows:

The operator selects the desired casing or unit 5, depending upon the articles I6 contained therein, and then depresses or forces the lower end of the selected casing 5 rearwardly, preferably by applying the thumb upon the pressure plate I1. When the lower end of the casing 5 is forced rearwardly, the ejector arm remaining relatively stationary against rearward movement, holds the lowermost article I6 against rearward movement and the casing 5 is accordingly shifted rearwardly beneath or beyond the forward end portion of the lowermost article, which may be readily gripped by the thumb and finger, Figure 4, and completely withdrawn from the casing. When pressure is released upon the plate I1, the leaf spring 23 automatically shifts the lower end of the casing 5 to the outer position, and the ejector 21 is` in the rearmost position, whereby the stack of articles I6 may gravitate downwardly, and the then lowermost article I6 becomes arranged in advance of the ejector 21. The outward movement of the lower end of the casing 5 is limited by the stop flange I3 engaging wall 22.

It is to be understood that the form of my in- Vention herewith shown and described, is to be casing having a depending flange at its bottom,v

means for pivotally supporting the casing near its upper end so that the casing tends to move toy a substantially vertical position, a xed housing movably receiving the lower end of the casing and having an upstanding ange arranged in advance of the depending ange of the casing to limit the forward movement of the casing, and a leaf spring having one end xedly secured to the back of the casing and diverging downwardly 5 from the casing and bent upon itself to provide a contacting end and a forwardly directed article ejector element extending through the opening in the back of the casing for entering the casing,

said contacting end slidably contacting with the 10 fixed housing so that the leaf spring serves to force the casing forwardly.

JAMES D. LLOYD. 

